sted in this part of my journey, being anxious
to see if the shelter here existing merited the name, given in the chart,
of Victor Harbour; but the only protection, excepting for a small vessel
in the north-west corner, and from northerly and westerly winds, is under
a little island, where it is possible one or two vessels may lie. From
Hindmarsh I saw the entrance of Lake Alexandrina, among some sandhills at
the entrance of which Captain Barker was murdered by the natives; a
circumstance which gave rise to the name of Encounter Bay, and attached a
melancholy interest to the spot.

NATIVE MODE OF FISHING.

Here for the first time, I met a Murray River native among a party of
others. He was certainly the finest Australian in make I had ever seen,
being robust and stout, like a South Sea Islander. A German Missionary,
who had a native school at Hindmarsh, took us to see a curious method of
catching fish resorted to at this place, which, as it has not been
noticed by Mr. Eyre, I shall describe. A party of natives, each provided
with a large square piece of net, rolled up, with a stick at either end,
swam out to a certain distance from shore, and spread themselves into a
semicircle. Every man then relinquished one of the sticks round which his
piece of net was rolled, to his right-hand neighbour, and received
another from his left; when, bringing the two together, a great seine was
formed. They now swam in, followed by other natives, who, by throwing
stones and splashing the water, frightened the fish, and prevented them
from getting out.

VISIT RAPID BAY.

Leaving Encounter Bay, we for some distance followed the left bank of the
Inman, when the road turned off to the westward. The country was good in
patches, till we made a cattle-station of Mr. Hacks, near Yankalilla Bay;
when, instead of a succession of forested hills and dales, we passed over
extensive treeless downs, contrasting strikingly in appearance with the
woody country around. Here we pitched our tents for the night: and next
morning were deprived of the company of His Excellency, who was obliged
to return to Adelaide; whilst Messrs. Macfarlane, Burr, and myself, who
were mounted from the station, went to Rapid Bay, lying about fifteen
miles South-West by West. As there was some difficulty in catching the
horses, it was 10 A.M. before we got away. I was by no means pleased with
my mount; I had suspected that all was not right by an exchange of looks,
I caugh